Orthoptic instrument



March 13, 1951 F C, WALRAVEN 2,545,180

ORTHOPTIC INSTRUMENT Filed Aug. l5, 1949 Figi INVENTOR. Il FMA/cm c. um /f/f vf/z/ .Fg. 3 BY rn/aa M25-w Patented Mar. 13, 1951 UNITED STAT-ES PATENT OFFICE .'ORTHOPTIC INSTRUMENT Frances C. Walraven, Atlanta, Ga.

ApplicatonAug-ustf, 1949, Serial No. 110,360

(Cl. 12S-76.5)

3-Claims. l This rinvention .relates to :'orthoptic `instruments, and more "particularly to :an improved instrument of this class adapted 4for training 'defective eyes for 4single binocular vision.

There arevarious causes for 'lackof binocular vision. One such Vcause is Vknown as strabismus. When strabismus is present, theeyes do nothave parallel alignment and 'cannot focus both eyes on the same object at the same time. An eye may deviate either in, out, up, or down. vergent strabismus, the 'deviation is inward and yin divergent strabismus, the deviation is outward. In hypertropia thedeviation is up. Another such cause is known as amblyopia, which is a condition in Vwhich an'eye has not .developed for one reason or another so that it is not used normally. An undeveloped eye of vthis .sort Vresults in the afflicted person using only la single eye .with consequent impaired `vision that cannot 'be corrected by glasses. Still another somewhat similar eye defect is .known as'suppression where, either consciously or subconsciously, `a person uses only one eye so that While the eye not used may be fully developed, the eiect on the vision is the same as that present in amblyopia.

In lorder to correct or train eyes to overcome these and similar defects so as to obtain normal binocular vision, it is necessary to develop bimacular "fixation simultaneous focusing of the macular. or central area of the eyes on an object so that fusion of vthe two object images is obtained, Whichis .essential for normal binocular vision. In order to develop single binocular vision or bi-macular xal tion, the eyes must be trained to focus simultaneously so that the above noted fusion of the object seen is obtained. The orthoptic instrument of the present invention is uniquely adapted for this purpose.

The orthoptic instrument of the present invention is constructed for use as a hand instrument by a particularly trained examiner and is arranged so that the examiner is allowed full observation of a patient-s eyes for watching and correcting false movements. The instrument is further arranged to position a patients eyes at a normal reading distance from orthoptic exercise material, and includes an improved means for obstructing complete vision of the exercise l material as a whole except by binocular vision.

An embodiment of the orthoptic instrument of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of an orthoptic instrument constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the instrument shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a right end elevation corresponding to Fig. 2.

In COng Bi-macular Afixation is the 'ber I4.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, the :orthoptic .instrument of this invention, as shown, comprises a frame structure III, suitably formed of a light metal, such as aluminum, or of a plastic'material, so that the instrument may be handled easily. This frame structure I0 is Vfitted With a depending handle I2 secured in place by .screws or the like as at I2', and by which the instrument may be held conveniently in proper position during use. If desired, the handle I2 may be pivot-ably mounted on the frame structure Ii! by any suitable means (not shown) so thatit may be collapsed when not in use.

A vertical rack member M is `disposed 'transversely at one end of the frame structure l0 for `supporting orthoptic exercise material, clipelements It being arranged on the rack member Ill for securing the exercise material in place. Also disposed on the iframe structure I0 is `a fvertical Ypartition I8 arranged longitudinally on the iframe structure I0 centrally and in fixed .spaced rrelation with respect tothe rack mem- The frame structure I@ may be ladvantageously `formed as shown 4in the drawing to extend upwardly at the front edge o'f the partition I8 and Ythenrrearwardly Valong its top edge .to receive V.studs xed Aon the partition `I8 as at I8' for attachment to the frame struc- A headrest 2B is arranged on the vertical partition I8 vat the end thereof remote from the rack member I4, and `the iixedspacing of :the

partition I3 from therack .member .I4 is such that this headrest Z0 positions `a patients `eyes at a normal reading distance from exercise material supported by the rack member I 4. 'Ihe headrest 2U is also arranged tov dispose the patients eyes in line with the exercise material and with the line of vision from each eye separated by the vertical partition I8, and to prevent the patient from moving his head to compensate for defective binocular vision.

In the embodiment shown in the drawing, the form of frame structure I0 includes a relatively narrow bar portion I0', arranged transversely at the vertical edge of the partition I8 adjacent the rack member I4, although this bar portion I0 might be provided as a separate element if it were desired to form the frame structure otherwise. In any case, the bar portion I0' is provided in a width suiiicient to obstruct complete vision of the exercise material separated on the rack member I4 except by single binocular vision. This arrangement makes the patient conscious of the fact when his eyes are not being used together for single binocular vision, and the above described arrangement of the headrest 2D provides for complete unobstructed observation of the patients eyes by the examiner so that the patient may be watched and helped to overcome 3 the defect which the bar member l calls to his attention.

In an actual embodiment of the orthoptic instrument of the present invention now in successful use, the instrument has been constructed so that the headrest 20 lpositions the patients eyes at a distance of about 13 inches from the vertical rack member lll, which corresponds with what is generally considered a normal reading distance, and the vertical partition I8 extends forwardly from the headrest 2l] for about 7 inches with a bar portion i8 of about 1/2 inch in width arranged at its forward end, which leaves the rack member M spaced to support the exercise material at about 6 inches from the bar portion l0.

As previously pointed out, the purpose of the partition I8 is to separate the line of vision from the patients eyes, and requires binocular action if the exercise material is seen on both sides of the member Iii at the same time. The purpose of the bar portion lll' is to provide an obstruction by which the patient is forced to employ single binocular vision in order to see the complete exercise material supported on the rack member i4. To accomplish these purposes, the above noted dimensions or proportions will be found to be optimum. In this connection the fixed spacing of the forward edge of the partition i8 from the rack member i4, and the width of the bar portion l0 arranged at the forward end of partition i8 are of critical importance, because if the rack member is positioned too close to the partition i8, or the bar portion lil is too wide, binocular vision will be impossible regardless of the condition of the patients eyes, while if the rack member lli is spaced too far away or the bar portion l0 is not wide enough it will be possible to read exercise material on the rack member I4 with only one eye. The fixed spacing of the rack member lll from the forward edge of the partition i8 and the bar portion I8 in accordance with the present invention is also important in that it allows adequate clearance for use of a pencil or the like by the patient for drawing or writing on exercise material supported on the rack member lll and thereby provides for development and training of coordination between the hands and eyes of the patient.

I claim:

1. An orthoptic training instrument for training defective eyes for single binocular vision comprising a frame structure, a vertical rack member disposed transversely on said frame structure for supporting orthoptic exercise material, an upright and relatively narrow bar portion formed integrally with said frame structure, said bar portion being arranged in parallel spaced relation to said rack member, a vertical partition fixed on said frame structure and disposed adjacent said bar portion to extend oppositely from said rack member but centrally and at right angles with respect to said rack member, and a headrest supported on said partition at the end thereof remote from said rack member, said headrest being disposed to position a patients eyes at normal reading distance from said rack member with the line of vision separated by said partition, the spaced relation of said bar portion with respect to said rack member and the width of said bar portion being such that complete Vision of exercise material on said rack member can be had only with single binocular vision.

2. An orthoptic training instrument as defined in claim l and further characterized in that said headrest is disposed to position a patients eyes.A

at about 13 inches from said rack member, said bar portion is spaced about 6 inches from said .rack member, and the width of said bar portion is of the order of 1/2 inch.

3. An orthoptic training instrument as defined in claim l and further characterized in that said headrest comprises an arcuate band adapted to receive `the patients forehead whereby the ex,- aminer may have complete unobstructed observation of the patients eyes.

FRANCES C. WALRAVEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 910,087 Richmond Jan. 19, 1909 1,948,901 Brombach Feb. 2'?, 1934 

